The Cardiff Devils progressed to the Semi-Finals of the Elite League Playoffs with a 6-3 win (8-3 on aggregate) over the Coventry Blaze at Vindico Arena on Sunday.
Having been shut out by Ben Bowns the night before, it took just 1.42 for Blaze to finally solve the Devils’ netminder. Jackson Cressey found the back of the net with a composed finish, assisted by Jack Hopkins, to immediately cut the aggregate deficit in half.
The energetic away side then pulled level on aggregate at 14.25, when Morten Jurgens capped off a textbook two-on-one with a well-placed shot past Bowns to make it 0-2 on the night and two each on aggregate.
However, Cardiff responded swiftly. Bradley Schoonbaert’s speculative effort took a cruel deflection off a Blaze stick and beat Mat Robson, reinstating the Devils’ one-goal aggregate lead.
The first period ended with a surge of drama. Captain Kim Tallberg was awarded a penalty shot while Blaze were short-handed in the dying second of the period – but Bowns stood tall to deny him, preserving the 2-1 score line (3-2 Devils on aggregate).
Early in the second, Blaze forced a turnover and were rewarded when Alessio Luciani’s effort was deflected into the net by a Devils defenceman at 21.22, bringing the tie level once again at 3-3.
Against the run of play, Cardiff re-took the lead, and they never looked back. Schoonbaert’s shot was redirected past Robson by Ryan Barrow at 32.26 to make it 3-2 to the Devils on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.
With everything to play for in the third, Blaze pushed hard but the game, and ultimately the series, slipped away in a decisive 30-second window. Sam Duggan struck at 47.15, followed swiftly by Zach O’Brien, extending Cardiff’s lead to 6-3 on aggregate.
Devils’ Captain Joey Martin hit the final blow at 57.21, sealing a 6-3 win on the night and an 8-3 aggregate victory for Cardiff.
Photo credit: James Assinder
